Hurricane OPHELIA

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HURRICANE OPHELIA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  31A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
800 PM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005
 
...OPHELIA INCHES TOWARD THE COASTLINE...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
SOUTH CAROLINA TO OREGON INLET NORTH CAROLINA...INCLUDING PAMLICO
SOUND.
 
A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT
NORTH OF OREGON INLET TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...
INCLUDING THE ALBEMARLE SOUND...AND SOUTH OF THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
TO EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...
INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT.
 
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN
THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS
THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN THE
NEXT 36 HOURS.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24
HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 800 PM EDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 32.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.2 WEST OR ABOUT 105
MILES EAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 110 MILES SOUTH OF
WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA.
 
OPHELIA IS MOVING TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH... AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT.  A TURN TO
THE NORTH IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY.  HOWEVER...STEERING CURRENTS
REMAIN WEAK...AND AN ERRATIC MOTION IS LIKELY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  50 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 160 MILES.  BECAUSE OF THE SLOW MOTION OF THE HURRICANE AND THE
RELATIVELY LARGE EXTENT OF HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...THE HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS WILL REACH THE COAST WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE CENTER. 
 
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 985 MB...29.09 INCHES.
 
MAXIMUM COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN
BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW.  A STORM SURGE OF 8 TO 10
FEET IS POSSIBLE AT THE HEADS OF BAYS AND RIVERS.

OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO
10 INCHES OVER EXTREME NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND OVER EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15
INCHES OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS OF NORTH
CAROLINA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

REPEATING THE 800 PM EDT POSITION...32.7 N... 78.2 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR  3 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 75 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 985 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 1100 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER FRANKLIN
 
 
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